Device Driver Updating Method and Program, Information Processing Apparatus and Server Apparatus Using the Same, and Storage for Storing Device Driver Updating Program

1. An information processing apparatus communicating with a server apparatus that manages a device driver that controls a device that performs data processing, the information processing apparatus comprising: a storage device that stores a device driver which incorporates access information to access to the server apparatus and a property display screen showing an instruction item for inputting a device driver request; an input unit that, based on an instruction to the instruction item on the property display screen, inputs the access information incorporated by the device driver to an application; an obtainment control unit that controls a process to obtain, from the server apparatus, driver update page information using the application to which the access information is inputted by said input unit; a display unit that, based on the driver update page information, displays a screen including a user interface element defined by the driver update page information that asks a user for approval to allow environment information including version information indicating a version of the device driver currently used in the information processing apparatus to be transmitted from the information processing apparatus to the server apparatus; a detection unit that detects whether an instruction for the approval allowing transmission of the environment information is entered on the screen displayed by said display unit; a transmission unit that transmits the environment information to the server apparatus only if said detection unit detects that the instruction is entered; a reception unit that receives, from the server apparatus, display information including an instruction input portion for inputting a device driver update instruction, in response to the environment information transmitted by said transmission unit, wherein said display unit displays the instruction input portion based on the display information received by said reception unit, and wherein said reception unit receives a device driver installer from the server apparatus after detection of an instruction entered on the displayed instruction input portion; and an update control unit that controls a process to update the device driver and to detect another device provided on a network in accordance with execution of the device driver installer received by said reception unit, wherein said display unit displays a device driver stored in the server apparatus and another device driver that corresponds to the other device detected by said update control unit and that is not stored in the server apparatus, wherein said reception unit receives the other device driver from another server apparatus in accordance with execution of the device driver installer, and wherein said update control unit controls the process to update the device driver provided in the information processing apparatus using the other device driver and the device driver stored in the server apparatus in response to a user instruction.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the device driver incorporates access information regarding access to the server apparatus and a property display screen with instruction items for instructing a device driver request which are displayed upon starting the device driver.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a display control unit that, based on the driver update page information obtained, controls a process to display the driver update page.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the input unit automatically connects the access information through a communication medium to the server apparatus based on an instruction to the update instruction section displayed by the display control unit.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the display control unit displays an expected time to obtain information required for automatically updating a device driver and a volume of information of the device driver based on the driver update page information obtained by the obtainment control unit.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the display control unit displays information of changes made in a version that is automatically updated based on the driver update page information obtained in the process controlled by the obtainment control unit.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the display control unit controls a process to display device-related information including new product information based on the driver update page information obtained by the obtainment control unit.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a transfer unit that transfers management information for the device driver and system environment information to the server apparatus.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the management information for the device driver is at least version information of the device driver.

10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the system environment information is at least capacity information including information of a version of an operating system.

11. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the device that performs data processing includes any one of a printer, a display device, a scanner, a digital camera, a facsimile machine, a mouse, a loudspeaker, a sound source device, a telephone, a copier, and a compositer apparatus.

12. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the driver update page information comprises an HTML web page and the user interface element comprises a button of the web page.

13. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the environment information includes type information indicating a type of a printer driver provided in the information processing apparatus.

14. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said display unit displays the other device driver and the device driver stored in the server apparatus, and wherein said update control unit controls the process to update the device driver provided in the information processing apparatus using one of the displayed device drivers selected in response to the user instruction.

15. A control method that controls an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a server apparatus that manages a device driver that controls a device that performs data processing, the control method comprising: a storing step that stores a device driver which incorporates access information to access to the server apparatus and a property display screen showing an instruction item for inputting a device driver request; an input step that, based on an instruction to the instruction item on the property display screen, inputs the access information incorporated by the device driver to an application an obtainment control step that controls a process to obtain, from the server apparatus, driver update page information using the application to which the access information is inputted in said input step; and a display step that, based on the driver update page information, displays a screen including a user interface element defined by the driver update page information that asks a user for approval to allow environment information including version information indicating a version of the device driver currently used in the information processing apparatus to be transmitted from the information processing apparatus to the server apparatus; a detection step that detects whether an instruction for the approval allowing transmission of the environment information is entered on the screen displayed by said display step; a transmission step that transmits the environment information to the server apparatus only if said detection step detects that the instruction is entered; a reception step that receives, from the server apparatus, display information including an instruction input portion for inputting a device driver update instruction, in response to the environment information transmitted by said transmission step, wherein said display step displays the instruction input portion based on the display information received by said reception step, and wherein said reception step receives a device driver installer from the server apparatus after detection of an instruction entered on the displayed instruction unit portion; and an update control step that controls a process to update the device driver and to detect another device provided on a network in accordance with execution of the device driver installer received by said reception step, wherein said display step displays a device driver stored in the server apparatus and another device driver that corresponds to the other device detected by said update control step and that is not stored in the server apparatus, wherein said reception step receives the other device driver from another server apparatus in accordance with execution of the device driver installer, and wherein said update control step controls the process to update the device driver provided in the information processing apparatus using the other device driver and the device driver stored in the server apparatus in response to a user instruction.

16. A control method according to claim 15 , wherein the device driver incorporates access information regarding access to the server apparatus and a property display screen with instruction items for instructing a device driver request which are displayed upon starting the device driver.

17. A control method according to claim 15 , further comprising a display control step that, based on the driver update page information obtained, controls a process to display the driver update page.

18. A control method according to claim 17 , wherein the input step automatically connects the access information through a communication medium to the server apparatus based on an instruction to the update instruction section displayed by the display control step.

19. A control method according to claim 17 , wherein the display control step displays an expected time to obtain information required for automatically updating a device driver and a volume of information of the device driver based on the driver update page information obtained by the obtainment control step.

20. A control method according to claim 17 , wherein the display control step displays information of changes made in a version that is automatically updated based on the driver update page information obtained in the process controlled by an obtainment control step.

21. A control method according to claim 17 , wherein the display control step controls a process to display device-related information including new product information based on the driver update page information obtained by the obtainment control step.

22. A control method according to claim 15 , further comprising a transfer step that transfers management information for the device driver and system environment information to the server apparatus.

23. A control method according to claim 22 , wherein the management information for the device driver is at least version information of the device driver.

24. A control method according to claim 22 , wherein the system environment information is at least capacity information including information of a version of an operating system.

25. A control method according to claim 15 , wherein the device that performs data processing includes any one of a printer, a display device, a scanner, a digital camera, a facsimile machine, a mouse, a loudspeaker, a sound source device, a telephone, a copier, and a compositer apparatus.

26. A control method according to claim 15 , wherein the environment information includes type information indicating a type of a printer driver provided in the information processing apparatus.

27. A control method according to claim 15 , wherein said display step displays the other device driver and the device driver stored in the server apparatus, and wherein said update control step controls the process to update the device driver provided in the information processing apparatus using one of the displayed device drivers selected in response to the user instruction.

28. A storage medium that stores a control program that is used to control an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with a server apparatus that manages a device driver that controls a device that performs data processing, the control program comprising: a storing step that stores a device driver which incorporates access information to access to the server apparatus and a property display screen showing an instruction item for inputting a device driver request; an input step that, based on an instruction to the instruction item on the property display screen, inputs the access information incorporated by the device driver to an application; an obtainment control step that controls a process to obtain, from the server apparatus, driver update page information using the application to which the access information is inputted in said input step; a display step that, based on the driver update page information, displays a screen including a user interface element defined by the driver update page information that asks a user for approval to allow environment information including version information indicating a version of the device driver currently used in the information processing apparatus to be transmitted from the information processing apparatus to the server apparatus; a detection step that detects whether an instruction for the approval allowing transmission of the environment information is entered on the screen displayed by said display step; a transmission step that transmits the environment information to the server apparatus only if said detection step detects that the instruction is entered; a reception step that receives, from the server apparatus, display information including an instruction input portion for inputting a device driver update instruction, in response to the environment information transmitted by said transmission step, wherein said display step displays the instruction input portion based on the display information received by said reception step, and wherein said reception step receives a device driver installer from the server apparatus after detection of an instruction entered on the displayed instruction input portion; and an update control step that controls a process to update the device driver and to detect another device provided on a network in accordance with execution of the device driver installer received by said reception unit, wherein said display step displays a device driver stored in the server apparatus and another device driver that corresponds to the other device detected by said update control step and that is not stored in the server apparatus, wherein said reception step receives the other device driver from another server apparatus in accordance with execution of the device driver installer, and wherein said update control step controls the process to update the device driver provided in the information processing apparatus using the other device driver and the device driver stored in the server apparatus in response to a user instruction.

29. An information processing apparatus communicating with a server apparatus that manages a device driver that controls a device that performs data processing, the information processing apparatus comprising: storage means for storing a device driver which incorporates access information to access to the server apparatus and a property display screen showing an instruction item for inputting a device driver request; input means for, based on an instruction to the instruction item on the property display screen, inputting the access information incorporated by the device driver to an application; obtainment control means for controlling a process to obtain, from the server apparatus, driver update page information using the application to which the access information is inputted by said input means; and display means for, based on the driver update page information, displaying a screen including a user interface element defined by the driver update page information that asks a user for approval to allow environment information including version information indicating a version of the device driver currently used in the information processing apparatus to be transmitted from the information processing apparatus to the server apparatus; detection means for detecting whether an instruction for the approval allowing transmission of the environment information is entered on the screen displayed by said display means; transmission means for transmitting the environment information to the server apparatus only if said detection means detects that the instruction is entered; reception means for receiving, from the server apparatus, display information including an instruction input portion for inputting a device driver update instruction, in response to the environment information transmitted by said transmission means, wherein said display means displays the instruction input portion based on the display information received by said reception means, and wherein said reception means receives a device driver installer from the server apparatus after detection of an instruction entered on the displayed instruction input portion; and update control means for controlling a process to update the device driver and for detecting another device provided on a network in accordance with execution of the device installer received by said reception means, wherein said display means displays a device driver stored in the server apparatus and another device driver that corresponds to the other device detected by said update control means and that is not stored in the server apparatus, wherein said reception means receives the other device driver from another server apparatus in accordance with execution of the device driver installer, and wherein said update control means controls the process to update the device driver provided in the information processing apparatus using the other device driver and the device driver stored in the server apparatus in response to a user instruction.

30. An information processing apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein the environment information includes type information indicating a type of a printer driver provided in the information processing apparatus.